Murphy, Martin duo funny in biting comedy

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by Winfred Cross for THE CHARLOTTE POST

Bowfinger
Starring: Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham, Adam Alexi-Malle, Christine Baranski
Directed by Frank Oz
Universal Pictures
Opens Friday

 

Has someone ticked off Steve Martin or what?

"Bowfinger," the latest film in which he wrote and co-stars is a thinly-disguised attack on the state of the film industry.

It's hysterically funny in spots, well written, and biting throughout.

Martin plays Bobby Bowfinger, a hard-up, would-be filmmaker who finally gets what he thinks is the perfect script with the perfect tag line. But he hasn't the resources to get it made. So he cooks up a scheme to get the world's biggest action star, Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) to be in the picture.

The pompous, loud-mouthed Ramsey's not interested, but that doesn't stop Bowfinger. He plans to put Ramsey in the film without his knowledge.

Eddie Murphy

It's a relatively simple plot with way to many stock stereotypes - the unscrupulous director (Martin), the slut actress (Heather Graham) who sleeps her way to, well, wherever, the brash actor who thinks way too much of himself (Murphy), the aging diva (Christine Baranski) who wants to really act and the aspiring screen writer (Adam Alexi-Malle).

Yet Martin's sparkling script and great cast keep this film wonderful. You know Martin has to be poking fun because this would never anywhere but Hollywood. Take a bad idea for a film, plug in the biggest star and someone will watch. You know you shouldn't laugh at the totally politically incorrect gags (such as Bowfinger getting his film crew at the Mexican border) but each is genuinely funny.

So is Murphy. This film is another opportunity for him to play dual roles. Ramsey is basically a recreation of Buddy Love from "Nutty Professor," as is Jiff, the simply -minded toothy dolt who steps in for Ramsey when he goes AWOL a caricature of Professor Clump. But Murphy is so on point that it really doesn't matter. And as Ramsey he gets to vent frustration for out of work black actors.

Martin is particularly likable as Bowfinger. He's the kind of hammy character Martin is so good at playing. Flawed, but shrewd. Irritating, yet likable.

"Bowfinger" tickled my funny bone something awful. If Martin and Murphy are this good their first time together, they've got a bright future.

 Classic; Excellent; Good;
  Fair; Why?; No Stars - A Mess